Passport to Adventure! A Magic Tree House Live Reading Tour stops in Doylestown on Sunday

By Stacy Briggs

Thursday

Mar 31, 2011 at 12:01 AMMar 31, 2011 at 9:40 AM

Call it passion personified.

Random House Children's Books' first-ever Passport to Adventure! A Magic Tree House Live Reading Tour, part of a major campaign to promote literacy and encourage a love of reading, is on its way here.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the event - recommended for children ages 7 and up and hosted by The Doylestown Bookshop and CB Cares - will be staged in the auditorium at Lenape Middle School is at 313 W. State St. in Doylestown.

The tour, based on Mary Pope Osborne's best-selling Magic Tree House series and ballyhooing the latest, "Magic Tree House #45: A Day with the Cobras," as well as its nonfiction companion work, "Magic Tree House Research Guide: Snakes and Other Reptiles," is visiting bookstores and other venues in 22 cities throughout the United States and Canada, bringing to life the time-traveling adventures of its characters, Jack and Annie, through live performance.

The family-fun events promote the themes that characterize the Magic Tree House series: adventure, imagination, creativity and a passion for books and reading.

"Along with writing, theater has always been one of my greatest passions in life," says the author. "I am absolutely overjoyed to see Jack and Annie come to life through theatrical performance. It's my hope and dream that these live character events will show children how exciting reading is - how with just a little imagination, reading can take you anywhere you'd like to go."

Award-winning Chicago playwright Jenny Laird created the original script for the performance, which features Matt Martin as Jack and Katie Brunetto as Annie. Both actors return to their roles as Jack and Annie after starring in the national tour of "Magic Tree House: The Musical."

Composer/lyricist Randy Courts composed the original songs, for which Will Osborne, Mary Pope Osborne's husband, wrote the lyrics. Will also directed the new Passport to Adventure production, which features songs from the musical, as well as a new song and dance number created especially for the tour.

The actors are traveling in the attention-grabbing Magic Tree House Express vehicle adorned with instantly recognizable Magic Tree House images.

Each live and interactive theatrical performance includes an official book stamping, meet-and-greet with Jack and Annie, photo opportunities and free souvenirs for all youngsters in attendance.

This original work is produced by Milestone Productions, a full-service company based in Indian Orchard, Mass.

Since its debut in 1992, the Magic Tree House series has sold 73 million copies in North America alone and continues to be one of the most renowned and beloved children's series today. It has been translated into 27 different languages in 33 countries. With the launch of the entire series in e-book form 10 months ago, the series is available in the customary three platforms - print, audio and digital.

Admission: one parent and one child, $13.77 (includes one hardcover edition of "Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras"); one parent and two children, $19.06 (one hardcover, one paperback); one parent and three children, $24.35 (one hardcover and two paperbacks).

A portion of all proceeds from ticket and book sales will benefit CB Cares.